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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24684301">It's a Problem</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/KlavierWrites/pseuds/KlavierRPF'>KlavierRPF (KlavierWrites)</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Day6 (Band)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - College/University, Awkward Flirting, Fluff, Flustered Park Jaehyung, Jae is a youtuber but it’s not like a huge plot point, M/M, Wonpil is so pretty Jae forgets how to speak</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-06-12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-06-30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 07:34:49</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>6,524</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24684301</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/KlavierWrites/pseuds/KlavierRPF</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Kim Wonpil does not get any less gorgeous with time, and Jae does not get any better at actually speaking to him in full sentences.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Kim Wonpil/Park Jaehyung | Jae</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>40</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>210</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This has no real conflict and I'm not even sorry. I'm still recovering from writing Wanna Go Back, it's gunna all be fluff for a while.</p><p>Part 1 of 2 because I'm hoping that posting it will give the the motivation to finish writing.</p><p>(Also, I've decided not to use Brian to refer to Youngk anymore. I've been conflicted about it for a while and it just doesn't seem right for me to use it given he doesn't like his fans calling him that. So, even though this is Jae's POV, the only time he'll be called Brian is when Jae's addressing him directly.)</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Jae’s in the library, about four pages into a fifty-page chapter of required reading when someone asks to sit opposite him. He’s so desperate to stay focused that he just nods and mumbles yes, not taking his eyes off the page. It’s not until he’s distracted by the thump of his table mate dropping something that he looks up.</p><p>“Shoot,” the guy says, ducking under the table to retrieve whatever it is he dropped. A moment later, he emerges with a heavy-looking novel without a dust cover. “Sorry, didn’t mean to disturb you.”</p><p>Jae doesn’t say anything. He’s temporarily lost the ability to speak. The man opposite him is gorgeous: incredible jawline, sharp cheekbones and strong brows which are now furrowed in confusion – or maybe annoyance – at Jae’s lack of response.</p><p>Jae doesn’t know whether to say ‘it’s fine’ or ‘not a problem’, so of course what comes out of his mouth is, “It’s a problem.”</p><p>The man’s eyes (oh dear God, he has the most incredible eyes) widen. Jae’s mind catches up with his mouth and he starts to feel heat creeping up his neck.</p><p>“Shit, sorry. I meant to say it’s fine.”</p><p>The most beautiful man Jae has ever seen looks at him like he’s crazy, and Jae wants to shrivel up and <em>die</em>.</p><p>He’s saved from having to subtly suffocate himself with his required reading by his phone buzzing on the desk next to him. You’re technically not required to mute your phone on this floor of the library, but his table mate looks up at the noise anyway and Jae is filled with an even deeper desire to crawl into a hole.</p><p>He checks his phone, realises it’s a “where the hell are you” text from Sungjin and then realises his next lecture started two minutes ago and he’s at the exact wrong side of campus. At least his mad dash to pack up and leave saves him from embarrassing himself further in front of beautiful guy.</p><p> </p><p>“Oh God,” says Jae two days later, “hide me.”</p><p>He’s in the hipster-ass coffee shop where Younghyun works, and beautiful guy has just walked in. Younghyun blinks at him from across the counter. “How exactly am I supposed to hide you? And why am I hiding you?”</p><p>Beautiful guy is wearing a yellow sweater over a pale blue shirt and he looks fucking <em>edible</em>. Standing up, he’s way shorter than Jae was expecting. “Because I made an ass of myself in front of the guy who just walked in.”</p><p>Younghyun glances to the door. “You embarrassed yourself in front of Dowoon?”</p><p>“What? No.”</p><p>He turns back to look at the entrance and realises that beautiful guy really is standing right next to Dowoon, who Jae is here to meet.</p><p>Dowoon spots him and waves. And then, to Jae’s actual horror, grabs beautiful guy by the arm and drags him towards him. “Hyung!” he says, “Have you ordered yet?”</p><p>“Er–”</p><p>“He has,” says Younghyun, “should I take yours, too?”</p><p>Dowoon gives his own order and turns to the guy next to him, “what do you want, hyung?”</p><p>Jae has never heard beautiful guy talk above a murmur, and he’s taken aback by how melodic his voice is. Figures, everything else about him is pretty.</p><p>“Sorry,” says Jae, “who’s this?”</p><p>“This is Wonpil-hyung,” says Dowoon brightly, “you said he could join me for tutoring today, remember?”</p><p>Now Dowoon says it, Jae does remember getting a text asking if Dowoon could invite a friend who’s “even worse at English than I am” to their next tutoring session.</p><p>Beautiful guy – Wonpil – smiles at him. It transforms his whole face: suddenly he’s not just got a bone structure chiselled by the Gods, he’s also the cutest person Jae’s ever seen. Jae is absolutely fucked. “I hope you don’t mind me intruding.”</p><p>“It’s–”</p><p>“A problem?” guesses Wonpil, his eyes crinkling. Jae is vaguely aware he’s being teased.</p><p>“No, it’s fine,” he manages.</p><p> </p><p>Kim Wonpil does not get any less gorgeous with time, and Jae does not get any better at actually speaking to him in full sentences.</p><p>The only saving grace is that while Jae’s mouth becomes dryer than his sex life whenever he has to talk to Wonpil directly (self-burn well deserved, frankly), he’s actually ok as long as he stays on topic. They get through Dowoon’s list of active and passive verbs with only a few minor hiccups, and Wonpil just sits and listens while he coaches Dowoon through a fairly basic conversation in English.</p><p>The problems start after that, when Dowoon excuses himself to go to the loo and Wonpil tries to introduce small talk.</p><p>“So, how come you’re so good at English, sunbaenim?” Wonpil’s eyelashes are actually really long, and his gaze when completely focused on Jae is overwhelming.</p><p>“American,” Jae blurts, and then backtracks. “I mean– I grew up in L.A.”</p><p>Comprehension dawns on Wonpil’s face. “Oh, so did you come here to study?”</p><p>“I– sort of.”</p><p>Wonpil nods. “Well, your Korean is really good for a foreigner,” he says kindly. Jae decides not to tell him he’s been here almost a decade, letting Wonpil believe his inability to speak to him is because he’s still getting used to the language, and not because he’s useless and gay.</p><p>“Do you know Dowoon-ah?” asks Jae.</p><p>“<em>How</em> do I know Dowoon-ah, you mean?”</p><p>Death would be less painful than this, seriously. He nods.</p><p>“We’re both in the show choir,” says Wonpil. Past Jae had taken one look at that flyer at the beginning of the school year and declared choirs were lame and thrown it in the trash. Past Jae was an utter buffoon.</p><p>“Or, well. Dowoonie’s in the band, technically,” Wonpil clarifies. “But he has a lovely voice! He could absolutely be in the choir itself if he wanted to.” Wonpil is so sweet, complimenting Dowoon like that when he isn’t even there to hear it. Life absolutely isn’t fair: the most attractive man Jae has ever met is also a genuinely nice person.</p><p>“Do you like singing, then?” asks Jae.</p><p>“Yes,” says Wonpil, “do you sing?”</p><p>Jae absolutely sings. Jae has a YouTube channel dedicated to his music with a quarter of a million subscribers and he’s in his fourth year of a music production major. “A little,” he says.</p><p>“You should join the choir, then!” says Wonpil excitedly, and then his face falls. “Oh, but they’re not holding auditions anytime soon…”</p><p>“Maybe next year,” says Jae. He will have graduated next year, he doesn’t know what the fuck he’s saying.</p><p>They sit in horrible, painful silence for the next few minutes until Dowoon returns from the bathroom. When he shows up, he apologises for not being able to stay longer to hang out because he’s got class.</p><p>“Thank you for letting me crash your tutoring session,” says Wonpil, standing up.</p><p>“Thank you,” Jae says back, before realising that makes exactly zero sense.</p><p>Dowoon, bless him, doesn’t catch on to Jae’s awkwardness. He just says his goodbyes and leaves. Younghyun, on the other hand, approaches his table to collect the empty cups with a shit-eating grin.</p><p>“What the fuck was that?”</p><p>Jae sinks lower in his chair. “I have no idea, leave me alone.”</p><p>“Do you like that guy?” he asks, leaning over Jae to grab his empty latte glass.</p><p>“I barely know him.”</p><p>“Yeah, but do you like him? Because that was the most painful interaction I’ve ever witnessed.”</p><p>“Don’t witness it next time, then.”</p><p>Younghyun rolls his eyes and sweeps away from the table. Jae spends the next five minutes contemplating his failures before he realises that he’s about to be late to another lecture if he stays there any longer.</p><p> </p><p>He spots Wonpil on campus the next day. He’s wearing a pale pink sweatshirt and baseball cap, and the combination makes him look masculine and cute all at once. Jae thinks he’s probably late for something because he’s kind of half-walking and half-jogging across the quad, but when he spots Jae he smiles this really big smile that makes his eyes crinkle and waves. Jae hasn’t had a crush this bad in <em>years.</em></p><p> </p><p>“Dowoon-ah, please tell me everything you know about Wonpil.” Jae is beyond shame at this point. He’s seen Wonpil on campus two more times and one of those times even managed a few sentences of stilted conversation with him. He just never knows what to <em>say</em>.</p><p>Dowoon tilts his head. “Why?”</p><p>Like hell Jae’s going to admit the real reason. “I want to be his friend really badly, so I need to know more about him so I can prove we have similar interests.”</p><p>Dowoon squints at him. “You never want to make new friends.”</p><p>“That’s not true! I’m, like, hella sociable.”</p><p>“You told me our tutoring sessions were strictly business and I shouldn’t get any ideas. I’ve known you for six years.”</p><p>“Yeah, but I don’t charge you, and I let you hang out in my apartment when your roommate kicks you out. That’s friendship.”</p><p>Dowoon considers this. “I suppose that’s fair. Why do you want to be friends with Wonpil-hyung?”</p><p>“Just think he’s cool.”</p><p>“You barely spoke to him when I bought him to our last tutoring session.”</p><p>“Duh,” says Jae, “because I think he’s cool. I was – uh – intimidated.”</p><p>Dowoon gives him one of those looks Jae hates, because it means he’s not buying his bullshit. He’s been giving him it a lot lately. Jae misses high school, when Dowoon was an obedient dongsaeng who believed everything Jae said.</p><p>“Wonpil-ssi’s not intimidating,” says Dowoon, “like, maybe when you first see him, but not when you actually talk to him. What’s really going on?”</p><p>Jae sighs. “I may have, like. The tiniest little crush.”</p><p>Dowoon looks <em>delighted</em>. “Hyung, you told me you don’t get crushes.”</p><p>“Yeah, well turns out that was a lie.”</p><p>“That’s so<em> cute</em>, hyung! You should have said before, what do you want to know?”</p><p>Wonpil’s in his second year, he’s majoring in literature (which explains the huge book he’d been reading when they first met), his parents run a piano academy, and his hobbies include playing video games and bothering Dowoon in his dorm. All this information Dowoon rattles off quite happily now he knows Jae’s intentions are “pure”.</p><p>“So, if I want to talk to him, I just need to talk about books or video games?”</p><p>Dowoon shrugs. “I guess.”</p><p>“I don’t know shit about books, but game is life. Should be easy enough,” says Jae.</p><p> </p><p>“Did you see they added bees to Minecraft?”</p><p>Wonpil jumps, and Jae realises he forgot to actually announce his presence in any way.</p><p>“Oh,” says Wonpil, “Jaehyung-sunbaenim, I didn’t see you sit down.”</p><p>They’re in the library again – Jae had planned on studying but he’d spotted Wonpil at an otherwise empty table and thought it’d be a good time to try talking to him again.</p><p>“Sorry,” he says sheepishly, “I can go.”</p><p>“No, stay,” says Wonpil, closing the huge book in front of him. It’s a different one to last time. Did he finish the other one? It was huge. “What was it you were saying?”</p><p>“Er–  bees. In Minecraft.”</p><p>Wonpil blinks at him. “I don’t play Minecraft.”</p><p>“Oh,” says Jae, cheeks heating. “Sorry. What– er. What <em>do</em> you play?” wait, fuck, Wonpil doesn’t know he asked Dowoon for intel. “If anything?” he tacks on.</p><p>“No, no,” Wonpil leans forwards, a teasing look playing across his features, “tell me about the bees."</p><p>It doesn’t get any easier to have Wonpil’s full attention on him. "They’re cute?” why did he phrase that like a question? He’s getting flustered again.</p><p>“How cute?”</p><p>“Uh. Well everything in Minecraft is blocks, right? So, they’re cute because they’re like. Floating rectangles with big eyes.” That doesn’t sound cute, it sounds horrifying. Jae scrambles to get his phone out of his bag, hyper-aware of Wonpil’s eyes on him. He runs an image search for the Minecraft bees and pushes the phone across the table to Wonpil.</p><p>Wonpil half-laughs, his tongue poking out between his teeth. “Oh, they are cute. They look a bit like Dowoon-ah.”</p><p>“Or like you,” Jae blurts. Wonpil looks up from the phone in surprise. “Because they have big eyes.”</p><p>A tiny furrow appears between Wonpil’s eyebrows. “Is that a compliment? Because in the past, people have been rude about–”</p><p>“It’s a compliment,” says Jae, cutting across him. “You have really cool eyes.”</p><p>Jae doesn’t think he’s imagining the tiny flush across Wonpil’s cheeks. Emboldened, he continues, “and you’re cute. Like a Minecraft bee.”</p><p>Wonpil has a curious look on his face. “I’ve never been compared to a bee before.”</p><p>“Sorry,” says Jae, “I’m being weird, aren’t I?”</p><p>Wonpil shakes his head, but Jae thinks he’s probably just being polite.</p><p>“Do you play a lot of Minecraft, then, sunbaenim?”</p><p>“Hyung,” says Jae suddenly. “Er– you can call me hyung. If you want.”</p><p>Wonpil switches honorifics easily, “Then, do you play a lot of Minecraft, Jaehyungie-hyung?”</p><p>Oh <em>no</em>. Jae really likes how that sounds.</p><p>“Jaehyungie-hyung?”</p><p>“What was the question?”</p><p>Wonpil has this really patient look on his face, and Jae realises he probably thinks he’s messing up because he’s a foreigner again. He repeats the question.</p><p>“I play it a bit,” says Jae. “Haven’t played it in ages, though.”</p><p>“Why were you so excited about the bees, then?”</p><p>Honestly? It was the first bit of video game trivia that popped into his head when he saw Wonpil. “Some people on twitter were talking about it. I follow a lot of let’s players.”</p><p>Wonpil nods. “What are you playing at the moment, then? If not Minecraft.” Finally, a topic Jae can’t fuck up.</p><p>“League of Legends mostly. Sometimes Battleground. You?”</p><p>“Recently I’ve been playing a lot of JRPGs. Chrono Trigger, Persona – that kind of thing.”</p><p>Cool. Great. Jae doesn’t know shit about JRPGs. It probably shows on his face – Wonpil’s little gasp is <em>devastating</em>. “Hyung, don’t tell me you’ve never played a Persona game?”</p><p>Jae shakes his head, and Wonpil is off. Twenty minutes later, Jae probably still doesn’t need to play a Persona game, because Wonpil explains practically the entire plot of the fourth one in detail. But it’s their longest conversation ever, and he leaves with Wonpil’s number in his phone so he’s pretty sure it counts as a success.</p><p> </p><p>Jae is giddy: Wonpil has been texting him non-stop. It’s mostly really random stuff he’s found online: apparently their conversation about bees has Wonpil convinced he’s really into cute things, so he sends him a lot of cat videos. He also sends him Minecraft memes with accompanying comments like “I don’t get this but thought you might find this funny??” They’re usually deeply unfunny, bordering on actually cringy. Jae thinks it’s the most endearing thing <em>ever</em>.</p><p>Sometimes Wonpil will update him about his day or complain about his classes. Jae now knows rather a lot about what an idiot the protagonist of the 19<sup>th</sup> century novel Wonpil is reading for class is. Wonpil, in return, is treated to some of his final-year project stress and complaints about how repetitive the lectures are.</p><p>He thinks they’re friends, now? Like, proper friends. Jae still gets a bit tongue-tied around him but Wonpil doesn’t seem to mind, and he can’t tell over text anyway.</p><p>He’d thought the crush might fade once he actually got to know Wonpil, since it had started based on his appearance, but it just gets worse. He likes him <em>so much</em>.</p><p>“Ok, spill.”</p><p>Jae looks up from his phone. Wonpil’s just sent him a clip from the last Korean LoL Championship: <em>“I don’t understand what’s going on here but apparently it’s impressive? Just looks like a bunch of characters running around to me. Thought you might like it though, hyung!!”</em> (Jae had actually watched the competition live, but it makes him happy that Wonpil had clearly been looking it up.)</p><p>“What am I spilling?” asks Jae. Jae’s on time for once, and they’re in the hallway waiting for the lecture hall to be free. Sungjin has his arms folded.</p><p>“You’re glued to your phone recently.”</p><p>“You sound like my dad.”</p><p>“<em>Jae</em>.”</p><p>“I’m texting someone,” says Jae, still looking at his phone. Sungjin is one of Jae’s closest friends, but he really wants him to be quiet so he can type out a long response to Wonpil explaining exactly why the video he sent him was actually really cool.</p><p>“Clearly. Who?”</p><p>“Nobody you know.”</p><p>“Try me,” says Sungjin.</p><p>“Kim Wonpil? He’s a friend of Dowoon’s.”</p><p>Sungjin looks surprised. “I know Wonpil – we took an elective together last year. Since when are you two close?”</p><p>“Since Dowoon introduced us and I asked for his number.”</p><p>“Hm,” says Sungjin, and Jae can tell he’s not buying it. “The only person you text this much is Younghyun, something’s fishy.”</p><p>Wonpil is now gently mocking him for watching esports. Jae responds by calling him a nerd.  Sungjin coughs loudly.</p><p>“What?”</p><p>“You’re grinning at your phone.”</p><p>“Am I?” says Jae, immediately trying to school his expression into something serious.</p><p>“You are,” says Sungjin grimly.</p><p>Jae doesn’t answer immediately because Wonpil has just sent him a selfie with the caption <em>“would a nerd look this cute?”</em> He’s wearing a purple cardigan; he’s got a little pout on his face and he’s throwing a peace sign. It’s kind of a shit selfie composition-wise: his eyes are a bit unfocused and he’s holding the camera too low But it’s Wonpil, so he still looks so good that Jae feels his cheeks growing red.</p><p>Sungjin notices. “Oh, you are kidding me. You have a crush on him, don’t you?”</p><p>Jae wants to say something in his defence, but unfortunately his eyes are still glued to the selfie and he is vaguely aware of a high-pitched whine trying to make its way out of his throat. Why does Wonpil have to look so soft and huggable on top of everything else?</p><p>Sungjin peeks over his shoulder at Wonpil’s message and what Jae sends back <em>(“ok, points have been made”</em>) and then jerks his head away. “Oh gross, you’re flirting.”</p><p>“So what if I am?” asks Jae, finally looking up from his phone. “I’m allowed to flirt with someone, you know.”</p><p>Sungjin seems to realise he’s actually offended him. “Sorry,” he says. “Just haven’t seen you in crush mode for a long time and it’s weird.”</p><p>Yeah, because the last time Jae had been in crush mode it was on <em>Sungjin</em>, and hadn’t that been a complete disaster? (He’s over it. He considers Sungjin the mandatory straight best friend crush that every gay guy needs on their journey to coming out.)</p><p>Sungjin takes his thin-lipped smile as the “it’s ok” that Jae means it as and says, tone casual, “So, Kim Wonpil, huh? Any particular reason why he’s the new object of your affections?”</p><p>“Have you <em>seen</em> him?”</p><p>Sungjin looks kind of confused. “Er, yeah. Short, big ears, kind of cross-eyed–”</p><p>“He has <em>amazing</em> eyes,” says Jae firmly. But something is dawning on him – is Wonpil not as universally attractive as he’d assumed? “Wait, do you not think he’s hot?”</p><p>Sungjin appears to be momentarily lost for words. “Straight, remember?”</p><p>Jae rolls his eyes. “Doesn’t mean you can’t tell if a dude is good-looking or not.”</p><p>“Then not to insult your taste, Jae, but he’s a bit weird looking. Maybe you have to be into men to see the appeal?”</p><p>Jae blinks down at the most angelic selfie he’s ever seen. <em>‘A bit weird-looking’</em>. Straight people were unbelievable sometimes.</p><p> </p><p>“Hey Brian, you think Wonpil’s hot, right?”</p><p>Younghyun doesn’t even blink. “You got a photo to jog my memory?”</p><p>Jae pulls up Wonpil’s most recent selfie and hands his phone to Younghyun.</p><p>“Oh, he’s pretty,” says Younghyun immediately.</p><p>“<em>Right?</em>”</p><p>“Good bone structure.”</p><p><em>Finally</em>, someone who understands. He should have asked someone who actually likes guys sooner. “Isn’t he just, like, the most attractive person you’ve ever seen? Like he’s smoking hot and soft at the same time, it’s ridiculous.”</p><p>Younghyun’s expression turns fond, but he’s looking at Jae not the phone. “You like really like him, huh?”</p><p>“So much, it’s terrible.”</p><p>Younghyun pats him on the shoulder. “Look on the bright side, hyung. At least we know that with a cardigan that ugly, there’s no way he’s straight.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I'm SO SORRY about the wait, you guys. I had the WORST writer's block with this one. I thought posting it in two parts would help motivate me, but nope. Still, I'm pleased with the end product even if it's a little all over the place. Idk, it's fluff. It's fulfilling it role of being fluff. It is fluffing successfully. </p><p>Anyway, these two songs kinda play a role in the fic, so listen to them if for some reason you haven't? Idk why you wouldn't have, though.<br/><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9PH6KSyCPIA"> Pinnochio - Eaj</a><br/><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ao6guyPQz4A"> Wonpil's cover of 'Behind the Page'</a></p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Sometimes, you just have to admit to yourself that you have made a terrible mistake. That’s a lesson Jae learns over and over, most recently when he’d tried playing Breath of the Wild on master mode and immediately got killed by the first bokoblin he came across.</p><p>Today, he’s learning that real life has a master mode, and Wonpil’s friend Jinyoung might be the bokoblin.</p><p>“So, explain it to me again,” says Jinyoung, “you know Wonpil <em>how</em>, exactly?”</p><p>“My friend Dowoon introduced us.”</p><p>“Like, he set you up?”</p><p>Jae feels himself flush. Wonpil had invited him to his apartment and then got held up with an unexpected meeting with a professor, so Jae’s in Wonpil’s apartment alone with his weirdly hostile roommate. “What? No. Like I said, Dowoon invited him to a tutoring session. I don’t know why you think–”</p><p>“You’re blushing,” interrupts Jinyoung, which just makes Jae go even redder. “You flirt with him over texts, I’ve seen them.”</p><p>“I–”</p><p>“What are your intentions with Wonpil?”</p><p>Jae blinks. “To be his friend?”</p><p>“<em>Just</em> his friend?”  </p><p>“Er…”</p><p>Jinyoung doesn’t wait for Jae to think of an answer. “Why are you lying to him about being a foreigner? He said you struggle with Korean, but you seem fine to me. Are you even from America?”</p><p>Jae holds up his hands in a surrendering gesture, “I’m from LA, I swear. I just… struggle more with Korean around Wonpil.”</p><p>“Why?” asks Jinyoung sharply. He’s leaning forward in his chair.</p><p>“I just do.”</p><p>“That’s not an answer.”</p><p>Ok, Jae’s getting kind of pissed now. “Have you got, like, a problem with me or something?”</p><p>“I’m just looking out for my friend,” says Jinyoung coldly.</p><p>“By interrogating me? I swear, my intentions are completely pure.”</p><p>“You’re not trying to get into his pants?”</p><p>Jae colours again. “Well… not if he doesn’t want me to.”</p><p>Jinyoung’s eyes narrow. “If you’re just playing with him–”</p><p>“I’m not!” Jae says, and then sighs. “I really like him. Like, a lot. My friends all tease me about it.”</p><p>Jinyoung, finally, looks satisfied. He sits back in his seat, arms folded. “Ok. I believe you.”</p><p>“What, just like that?”</p><p>“Yep.”</p><p>“The fuck, man?”</p><p>Jinyoung shrugs, completely unabashed. “Pil-ah’s got a shit track record with relationships. Had to check you were serious about him.”</p><p>“Has Wonpil–” Jae swallows, “er– has Wonpil said something about being interested in me, then? Like that?”</p><p>Jinyoung shrugs again. “Don’t know. But he talks about you a fair bit.”</p><p>“Oh,” says Jae. “Cool.”</p><p>Jae really wishes Wonpil would show up. Jinyoung is still looking at him funny. “What?”</p><p>“I’ve seen you before.”</p><p>“We go to the same university.”</p><p>“No, not that, I don’t think,” says Jinyoung. “What do you study?”</p><p>“Music production.”</p><p>Jinyoung seems to think for a moment. “Wait, do you have a YouTube channel?”</p><p>Jae grins. He doesn’t get noticed in the real world very often. “Yeah,” he says.</p><p>“I think I’ve seen one of your covers,” says Jinyoung, sounding impressed. “You’re pretty good. Have you told Wonpil about it?”</p><p>Jae shakes his head. “It’s not easy to talk about without it sounding like I’m bragging.”</p><p>Jinyoung tilts his head. “Want me to tell him?”</p><p>“Why would you do that?”</p><p> “Might score you some points.”</p><p>“I thought you were being protective.”</p><p>“Wonpil’s my best friend, and he deserves the best. Not that I’m saying you’re the best, but you’re a youtuber. That counts for something.”</p><p>Jae doesn’t understand Jinyoung at <em>all.</em> Luckily, he’s saved from responding by the sound of a key turning in the lock.</p><p>A moment later, Wonpil stands in the doorway looking at the two of them. Jinyoung is still leaned towards Jae conspiratorially.</p><p>“Jinyoung-ah,” says Wonpil, his brow furrowed, “what did you say to him?”</p><p>“Only good things,” says Jinyoung with a wink, standing up. “I’ll leave you two to it, yeah?”</p><p> </p><p>The plan was to play games, but all of Wonpil’s JRPGs are single-player and Jae didn’t bring his laptop. He’s about to suggest they do something else when he spots Minecraft in Wonpil’s game library.</p><p>“I thought you said you’d never played it?”</p><p>To Jae’s surprise, Wonpil goes a little pink around the ears. “I bought it after you told me about it. I haven’t found the bees yet.”</p><p>“That can be our first mission, then.”</p><p> </p><p>Jae is proud to report that he’s definitely getting better at being around Wonpil. He’d hardly embarrassed himself at all when they’d played Minecraft together, only stumbled over his words once. Well, twice. Three times if you count accidentally saying “pick-ass” rather than “pickaxe” but Wonpil didn’t notice that slip of the tongue, so Jae’s not counting it. He heard Jinyoung snigger though.</p><p>He and Wonpil have set up a server and are currently trying to renovate and expand this little village they found. It’s kind of lame, but also really fun. Wonpil likes building but shrieks whenever he encounters even the easiest of mobs, so they spend a lot of time on peaceful.</p><p>“You two are cute,” says Younghyun, setting down his coffee in front of him. “Is he online right now?”</p><p>Jae looks up from his laptop. He’s currently in the process of adding a bell tower to the church they’d been building. “Nope,” says Jae, “I’m trying to finish this so it’s a surprise next time he’s on.”</p><p>“Dating yet?”</p><p>Jae shakes his head, pulling the coffee cup towards him. “Not brave enough to say anything. But I can talk around him now, so… progress.”</p><p>Younghyun laughs. “You’re hopeless.”</p><p>“Trust me, I know.”</p><p> </p><p>“Jaehyungie-hyung,” trills Wonpil, slamming into him from behind and wrapping his arms around him, “guess who?”</p><p>“I guess Wonpil,” says Jae. Sungjin raises his eyebrows.</p><p>Wonpil emerges from behind him, and Jae immediately misses the contact. “Oh, Sungjin-hyung, I didn’t see you there.”</p><p>Sungjin looks a cross between exasperated and amused. “I could tell. The hell are you doing in this building?”</p><p>“Lecture’s moved rooms,” says Wonpil, “but I spotted Jae-hyung and thought I could hang with you while I wait.”</p><p>He and Sungjin are sat in the little social area, and until Wonpil’s appearance they’d been studying in relative silence. “Fine by me,” says Jae.</p><p>“Cool,” says Wonpil, pulling up a chair.</p><p>“You didn’t ask me if I’m fine with it,” Sungjin points out. Wonpil sticks out his tongue at him.</p><p>“So,” says Wonpil, turning to Jae, “I have a bone to pick with you.”</p><p>Anxiety immediately bubbles in Jae’s stomach. “What did I do? Can I say sorry now?”</p><p>Sungjin laughs.</p><p>“You didn’t tell me you had a YouTube,” says Wonpil, “I had to find out from <em>Jinyoung</em>.”</p><p>“Oh,” says Jae. He’d kind of thought Jinyoung had forgotten to tell him or something. “Yeah.”</p><p>“I typed in your name and you didn’t come up, though,” says Wonpil, pouting a little.</p><p>“I go by eaJ,” says Jae. “My name backwards, but with English letters.”</p><p>“That’s so cute, hyung.”</p><p>Jae ducks his head. “Is it?”</p><p>“Yes,” says Wonpil, “it’s very you.”</p><p>“You know what?” says Sungjin suddenly, “I’m gunna go study somewhere else. Have fun, guys.”</p><p>Jae waves him off vaguely. Sungjin snorts.</p><p> </p><p>He and Wonpil start studying together. It's less productive than when Jae studies with Younghyun or Sungjin, admittedly, but that’s not Wonpil's fault. He's a perfectly good study companion, the issue is that Jae gets... distracted, sometimes. Just looking at him.</p><p>For real, shouldn’t his attractiveness have worn of by now? Jae doesn't understand it. He’s so familiar with Wonpil’s face at this point, but somehow it still takes his breath away.</p><p>There’s also the issue of the little noises Wonpil makes when he studies. He clicks his tongue and hums in response to things he’s reading. When he disagrees with or doesn’t understand something, this adorable little crease appears between his eyebrows and his lower lip juts out.</p><p>So, yeah. Jae spends maybe 50% of his time studying music composition. The other 50% is spent studying Wonpil.</p><p>"Something on my face, hyung?"</p><p>"Uh, no. Sorry."</p><p>"Just looking?"</p><p>What is he meant to say to that? "Yeah."</p><p>"That’s understandable," says Wonpil, a mischievous spark in his eye, "I’m pretty cute, so there’s a lot to look at.”</p><p>Jae makes a show of rolling his eyes at the comment but inside he’s screaming because Wonpil doesn’t realise how correct he is.</p><p> </p><p>Wonpil is being weird. They're chatting via voice chat while working on a kind of elaborate castle for them to live in, because Jae suggested that they should rule over the Minecraft village they've been working on like feudal lords, and Wonpil thought the idea was absolutely hilarious. But they've been building for about 20 minutes, and Wonpil has been weirdly quiet the whole time.</p><p>"Everything ok?” Jae asks when he can’t quite bear it anymore. He wishes he could at least see Wonpil's face to get some clues from his expression.</p><p>"Everything is fine, hyung," says Wonpil, "it's just– no, don't worry about it."</p><p>"Pillie?"</p><p>"Urg, it's nothing. Just ran into an ex – well, kind of an ex – today and it’s got me down."</p><p>Jae’s stomach flips. "Kind of an ex?" he repeats.</p><p>"We never dated," Wonpil explains, "but we also did. It's complicated. He was a dick. Anyway, it's just put me slightly off kilter."</p><p>Jae really wishes they were having this conversation face to face. "I'm sorry."</p><p>"Not your fault."</p><p>"Did he say something to you?"</p><p>"Nah," says Wonpil. "Ignored me. You know, kind of like he did when we were hooking up.”</p><p>Something protective flares in Jae's chest. "Wow, fuck him," he says forcefully. "For real, Pil. He sounds like a d-bag."</p><p>"He was going through a rough time back then.”</p><p>"Don't care. Ignoring someone you're seeing, even if it's not official or he’s having a difficult time isn’t cool. You deserve someone who's crazy about you."</p><p>Wonpil is quiet for a long moment. On the game, Jae hears a distant baa-ing noise.</p><p>"Pil?"</p><p>"One of the sheep has escaped the pen," says Wonpil. "I'm gunna go see what happened to our fences."</p><p> </p><p>Wonpil tells him more about his kind-of ex over text that evening. Apparently, the guy knew Wonpil had feelings for him and made a bunch of promises of a relationship he didn’t keep while continuing to use him as a booty call. Oh, and he was Wonpil’s first and also only, so Jinyoung’s protectiveness makes a little more sense. Jae’s not an angry or violent person but he legitimately wants to punch that dude in the face.</p><p> </p><p>A coffee is placed on the table next to his laptop. Jae's ignoring the paper that’s due in at the end of the month to send memes to Wonpil. He’s been a bit down since his run in with his ex, so Jae figures he needs the good vibes.</p><p>"Dating yet?" asks a familiar voice.</p><p>"Fuck off, Brian."</p><p> </p><p>"So, I finally watched your YouTube videos," says Wonpil. They’re sitting at what has become ‘their’ table at the library.</p><p>Jae looks up from his notes and tries very hard to sound casual. "Oh? What did you think?"</p><p>"You're really good."</p><p>“You too,” says Jae automatically, and immediately wants to slap himself in the face. He hasn’t messed up his words in front of Wonpil for a while. “I mean, I think you are. I haven’t heard you yet.”</p><p>“The extracurriculars showcase is coming up and the choir’s performing,” says Wonpil, “you can come if you want. But shh, I wanted to compliment you more. I didn’t know you wrote your own songs?”</p><p>“Sometimes.” Jae knows he’s blushing, <em>again</em>, and he hates himself for it.</p><p>Wonpil’s eyes are wide. It makes them sparkle like that one emoji – is that weird to say? Or rather, think? He’s so distracted by it he misses what Wonpil says next.</p><p>“What?”</p><p>Wonpil doesn’t even look surprised that he zoned out, which just goes to show how often it happens. “They’re amazing, Jaehyungie-hyung,” he repeats. “Like, <em>amazing. </em>I had to use a translator for some of the lyrics, but they’re so full of emotion. I didn’t know you were so talented.”</p><p>Oh no. Oh no, oh no. Jae is on the <em>floor</em>. He is a puddle. He’s bad at accepting praise usually but praise from <em>Wonpil</em>? He can’t handle this. “They’re nothing special –”</p><p>“Don’t you dare put yourself down,” says Wonpil firmly. “Pinocchio made me <em>cry</em>.”</p><p>Wonpil had been through the kind of relationship that meant he’d cry listening to Pinocchio. A now-familiar surge of protectiveness flares in him and briefly cuts through his embarrassment. “I hate that guy and I’ve never met him.”</p><p>It’s Wonpil’s turn to blush. “No, it’s… nice. Knowing there’s someone out there who gets it and can put that feeling into words.”</p><p>“Oh.”</p><p>“I don’t mean to be so heavy,” says Wonpil, “but I’m really glad we’re friends, hyung.”</p><p> </p><p>“Wonpil said he invited you to the showcase,” says Dowoon as they’re wrapping up a tutoring session. “Weren’t you already invited because of your major?”</p><p>“Yeah,” says Jae, “but I’m not performing, so I probably wouldn’t have gone otherwise.”</p><p>Dowoon’s gaze is steady. “Get him flowers or something. Not chocolates – he doesn’t like those.”</p><p>Jae almost spits out his drink. “I’m not–”</p><p>“Yes, you are. Can you afford roses? He’d probably like a bouquet of roses.”</p><p> </p><p>Roses are expensive and Jae’s the biggest sucker in the whole world. But he’s here, sat near the back so Wonpil can’t see him. He also has no idea when the show choir is actually performing, because the programs cost money and he blew all his on a bouquet that’s pretty small all things considered. Also, he’ll probably spontaneously combust if he actually tries to give it to Wonpil.</p><p>The choir performance is... good. Jae doesn't know what else to say about it. They sing three songs, and he knows that Dowoon's in the live band but he can’t actually see him because of the way the stage is laid. They even have a little bit of choreography - simple stuff they can do while standing still – which might be a good thing for Wonpil, who doesn't appear to be a natural dancer.</p><p>And... it's nice. Wonpil is clearly having a good time; he’s got this huge smile on his face and Jae loves seeing him that happy but, well... it’s a choir. And Jae can't really make out which voice is Wonpil’s. So to be perfectly honest, he's a bit disappointed.</p><p>He considers leaving after that, just slipping out and telling Wonpil where to meet him after, but that seems rude. So he stays, but he zones out a bit. Dowoon's in the band for a couple of other acts, so he watches those properly because it's cool to see Dowoon in his element and he's a crazy-talented drummer, but other than that he scrolls twitter on his phone as discreetly as possible.</p><p>It’s at the point where he’s honestly kind of sick of listening to performances when this seriously beautiful piano starts up. It’s the opening to Behind the Page and Jae looks up almost automatically and his jaw drops.</p><p>It's Wonpil. Wonpil, who hadn't mentioned being able to play piano, is performing a solo. Jae is <em>so</em> glad he stayed. And then Wonpil opens his mouth and starts to sing, and Jae is pretty sure he actually falls in love.</p><p>Wonpil's voice is heavenly. He sings with the same raw emotion he'd told Jae his lyrics had, and Jae is absolutely hanging off every word, every note. When Wonpil finishes, bowing politely and scurrying off the stage, Jae’s sure the applause is the loudest it’s been all night – or maybe that’s just him. The rest of the showcase is a blur.</p><p>Afterwards, he waits for Wonpil in their agreed meeting space, shivering in the evening chill, his slightly worse-for-wear bouquet of roses tucked under one arm.</p><p>Wonpil approaches him with a thick jacket pulled tight around him. “I thought we were meeting up with Dowoonie?" he asks.  Crap. Jae had completely forgotten to invite him. Dowoon would understand.</p><p>Wonpil's eyes fall on the bouquet under his arm. "Are those roses?"</p><p>"I– they’re– um… for you." Jae thrusts them in Wonpil's direction before he can chicken out. "You were– wow."</p><p>Wonpil's lips part a little in wonder. He takes the roses without saying anything and then starts admiring them. When he looks up at Jae, his expression is set. "Ok, you need to tell me if I'm reading this wrong. Do you like me?"</p><p>Jae's mouth is sandpaper. "Yes."</p><p>Wonpil looks surprised. "Really?"</p><p>Jae nods. "Is that... bad?"</p><p>"No!" says Wonpil quickly. He goes pink. They probably match. "I'm just surprised. Jinyoung told me you did, and I thought you might a first, because you were so awkward around me and blushed so much, but then you got over it."</p><p> "I just got better at talking to you. At first, I was so, like, taken aback by, er–" Jae gestures to Wonpil's entire person, "everything about you, that I kept messing up."</p><p>"Sorry," says Wonpil, "I know I can be a lot."</p><p>"What?"</p><p>Wonpil looks a little sad. "I get it. I can be kind of weird."</p><p>Shit, Jae needs to correct that misunderstanding immediately. "Ok, no. I was overwhelmed by you because you were so hot I didn't know how to deal with it. Within like ten minutes of meeting you I wanted you to slam me against a wall." That’s more than enough to make his point, but the words keep coming. "Like. Holy shit? I learned you were a softie pretty quickly which just made me think you were cute as well as hot, but I still lowkey want you to destroy me–”</p><p>"Ok, you can stop, I get it.” Wonpil is bright red.</p><p>"Sorry," says Jae, just as crimson. "Like I said. I'm kind of an idiot around you."</p><p>They stand in silence for a moment. Wonpil is holding the flowers. Jae isn't wearing a proper jacket.</p><p>"So..." says Jae eventually. "Are we still going to get dinner?"</p><p> </p><p>They go out to eat, and they talk about other things, and Jae has no idea if they're on a date or not. Wonpil insists on paying, even though he's the one whose performance they're supposed to be celebrating.</p><p>In retaliation, kind of, Jae insists on walking Wonpil home. It takes him two tries to get the words out. When they reach the door to Wonpil's student housing building, Wonpil grabs his neck, pulls him down, and kisses him.</p><p>It's brief but amazing and Jae is so, so overwhelmed. Wonpil pulls away and grins. "Figured if I waited for you to do it, it might take a while. Night, hyung."</p><p> </p><p>"So," says Younghyun, "dating yet?"</p><p>Jae looks up from the obnoxiously long string of heart emojis he's texting Wonpil, his boyfriend. "Yes, actually."</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/eajpils">@eajpils</a><br/></p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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